US overdose deaths fell 27% last year, but remain far above EU levels

The US had 30,000 less supplier overdose deaths successful 2024 than nan twelvemonth earlier – nan largest one-year diminution ever recorded successful a state grappling pinch a decades-long addiction crisis.

An estimated 80,000 Americans died from overdoses past year, according to early information from nan US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). That’s down 27 per cent from nan 110,000 who died successful 2023.

Experts opportunity much investigation is needed to understand what drove nan reduction, but they mention respective imaginable factors, including accrued readiness of nan overdose-reversing supplier naloxone, expanded addiction treatment, and changes successful really group usage drugs.

Still, yearly overdose deaths are higher than they were earlier nan COVID-19 pandemic.

In a statement, nan CDC noted that overdoses are still nan starring origin of decease for group aged 18 to 44, “underscoring nan request for ongoing efforts to support this progress”.

“Now is not nan clip to return nan ft disconnected nan state pedal,” said Dr Daniel Ciccarone, a supplier argumentation master astatine nan University of California, San Francisco.

President Donald Trump’s management views opioids, a cardinal driver of nan US overdose epidemic, arsenic predominantly a rule enforcement rumor – and arsenic a logic to measurement up separator security.

The management has besides been reorganising and downsizing national wellness agencies, though US wellness main Robert F Kennedy Jr said overdose prevention efforts will continue.

The 21st period opioid pandemic has not affected Europe successful nan aforesaid way. There were an estimated 6,400 drug-related deaths successful nan European Union successful 2022, nan latest information shows, though it is apt an underestimate.

In nan EU, Sweden, Finland, and Latvia person seen nan largest increases successful overdose deaths complete nan past decade. Most overdoses were tied to opioids aliases nan usage of aggregate drugs.